


Split

by Xiel (AristoRaccoon)



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Also a demon I guess, Gen, Magic and Science Duo, Not Beta Read, One Shot, i have no clue what i'm doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26078227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AristoRaccoon/pseuds/Xiel
Summary: It was never supposed to be like this. The demonic entity was supposed to be destroyed, not split in half!
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this is an AU inspired by Neet's amazing Dawn Varian art (https://www.instagram.com/p/CENMt-7lHtH/ ) and a somewhat spin-off of the Dawn and Dusk theory. 
> 
> Varian is Dawn, Zhan Tiri is Dusk. Two sides of the same coin, of the same demon that tried to annihilate everything for the sheer glee of it millennia ago. Demanitus managed to stop it, only to gain an unexpected lab partner. Meanwhile, the Dawn piece roamed the land for centuries until it took on its present form. What will happen when they are reunited again?

The machine whirred to life but started sputtering while letting out smoke.

"No no no! Please!", Demanitus shouted as he slammed down a fist on the heating metal. It seemed to fix whatever was wrong and the odd noises stopped, the machine growing stronger as the demon approached ever slowly.

The man looked with fearful eyes at the monster's form further ahead. At its blackened body from which light could not escape, at its horns which could pierce anything, at its mouth filled with sharpened fangs, at its claws which tore through all that defied it.

And at its eyes filled with pure malice and evil.

The machine whirred louder and louder and now the monster stood right in front of the inventor.

" **Y o u C a n n o t S t o p M e, HUMAN** ", its voice roared with glee as it smiled with glistening fangs.

"...Never underestimate an INVENTOR!", Demanitus shouted and pulled on the lever next to him. His invention roared louder and the alchemical vials connected to it started glowing yellows and blues, same as the magical sources connected to it. A purple beam shot out and hit the demon straight in the chest, before dissipating, and the machine powered down.

But it only smiled as the odd tingle settled down, with the human looking very fearful of what was next to come.

" **A d o r a b l e** ", it said as it started laughing and approached closer. Then it stopped, its eyes widened in what Demanitus could only describe as terror and hunched down gasping. It brought a hand to its face and watched as it started dissolving into purple specks of light before its eyes. The inventor could only stare with mouth agape as multiple patches of the demon's body started dissolving. I-It was working!

" **W H A T H A V E Y O U D O N E T O M E?!** " the monster roared as it slashed the man's right eye with its remaining claw, before it too dissolved into nothingness.

Demanitus was getting dizzier and fell to his knees, the blood dripping down the right side of his face, but the sight before him was something to be amazed by. His machine had worked! The demon was dying in a bundle of light, the darkness banished as light finally shone through its body.

And it finally broke, 2 lights formed inside the remnants of the demon's body: one purple and one magenta. However before Demanitus had a chance to thoroughly observe them, the redder one swayed from side to side before flying away into the horizon. The darker one gentled floated to the ground before it shone brighter and took on the shape of a tall, slender woman. She laid there, unconscious on the ground.

The inventor looked with wide eyes (or rather eye). W-What was the meaning of this?! His machine should've completely destroyed the monster! Why did a piece of it still live? He also looked to the distance where the other light flew off to. Where had it gone? It had looked like it flew off to the West. He growled under his breath at his, yet another, failed invention. It only did half of what it was supposed to do!

A sudden groan nearby made him freeze and he stared at the woman as she woke up and sat on the ground, holding her head like she had a nasty headache ( _though considering what just happened, it might be why_ , he thought). Now that he got a good look at her, she was wearing a modest-looking black dress with an apron and an odd gemstone on her forehead. She opened her eyes and looked at him in confusion.

_"Purple eyes...just like the light..."_ , he muttered to himself. His thoughts were interrupted by her voice.

"Where...Where am I?"

* * *

He could only keep staring at the woman. Did she not remember anything? She was about to destroy him and the Kingdom behind him not even 5 minutes ago!

No…He had to be patient. This could be his chance to deescalate the whole thing and get rid of a threat for good. In a nicer way that didn’t involve destruction or ripping them to shreds.

“…What do you remember last?”, he asked her, trying to keep his tone neutral. He didn’t want to cause any unnecessary hostility.

“I…Oh my gosh you’re injured!”, she practically screamed as she got to her feet and ran over to him, dropping to her knees as she fretted over his eye injury (that the monster she was gave him but a few moments ago). Demanitus froze and slightly recoiled as she got closer.

Yet those eyes.

They were not the cold and malicious eyes that hunted him down. Not the eyes that calculated every possible way to make humanity suffer for the simple joy of it.

Those eyes were gentle, worried, almost _human_ even. However the being before him _wasn’t_ human, not as far as he knew.

Her hands approached his face and a small white light emanated from them. He visibly flinched and tried to move back, until he noticed the light wasn’t hurting him.

In fact, his injury seemed to be healing itself. His eye was destroyed of course, but at least the wound was closing itself.

Like magic. After the last of it healed, she looked at her hands in fascination and clear confusion.

A sudden whir next to him attracted both their gazes and the machine sputtered again, its magical components becoming hotter until the metal looked almost blinding white.

And, without thinking, he shielded her from the explosion. Metal pieces went flying everywhere and embedded themselves in the hard soil below.

In the middle of it all floated the reason for the machine’s success (well, half-success at least). A stone of blues and yellows. However before either of them could make a move, it quickly flew up to the sky and split itself in half.

The yellow light went to the South.

The blue light went to the North.

_Great,_ he thought _, he needed to find those celestial powers again before they fell into the wrong hands-“_

“Are you going after them?”

What to do? The former-demon-now-woman couldn’t get her hands on those powers, especially if she remembered everything. But there was no telling what would happen if she were left in the Kingdom she tried to annihilate mere moments ago.

No, he would need to keep an eye on her. He had no choice.

“I am, yes-“

“Then please let me come along!”

The inventor raised an eyebrow, but she continued.

“I-I feel like those lights were calling to me. And you can’t do this journey alone, with all due respect Sir, especially not with that injury and missing depth perception!”

Great. She was sharp-tongued and jumped ahead too. This was going to be testing his patience.

“…Well I can’t very well leave you here on your own, miss…?”

The woman opened her mouth but shut it soon after, taking on a worried expression and looking down at her hands.

“I…don’t know”

Memory loss. Was this part of the machine’s effects? But that didn’t seem to deter her and she extended her hand.

“What do you say then, partner?”, she smiled at him.

Demanitus let out a grunt, but finally shook her hand after an awkward minute of trying to come up with a name.

“Reluctant partners it is then, Amelia”

* * *

She had finally found him.

After centuries, nay a millennium, she had finally found her other piece (even if it was just in a dream). A darkened nightmare where pieces of cold lifeless amber snaked around the boy in the center of it all. Where the echo of a disappointed man’s voice resonated throughout the space. Where mocking voices were heard and booing at the poor child being beaten down senselessly by them.

She would have to thank the foolish lady-in-waiting for leading her to the one she’d been looking for and approached the lone figure. The boy visibly flinched upon seeing her. In that moment, she saw it. She saw the magenta in his irises before they reverted back to their baby blue. The ghost smiled, there he was.

“W-Who are you?”

“A friend, or at least I’d like to be


	2. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A truth and a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't think I would continue this, but here's a sequel to the one-shot!

He had always dreaded this day. Quirin sighed as he filled 2 mugs with hot cocoa (and added a few marshmallows in Varian’s mug – he’d received those from Frederick as a gift of good will). He placed the mugs on the table and sat down with a sigh, feeling relief in his stiff joints. Varian picked up one of the mugs and gave one of the sugary treats to Ruddiger, the raccoon sitting on his shoulders. His son looked up at him expectantly.

He couldn’t avoid this discussion anymore.

“…So….”

“…So.”

“A-Are you going to finally tell me? What I wasn’t ready for?”

Quirin sat there in silence and simply looked back at his son. His 15 years old boy, that he had raised since he was a fussy little baby.

…It was time he knew, but only one thing at once. He would need time to process the first truth. He took a deep breath. Best to rip off the bandage now.

“Dad?”, the teen asked before taking a sip of his mug.

“Varian you’re adopted”, the man quickly blurted out.

The atmosphere was immediately silenced and Varian spat out the hot cocoa in poor Ruddiger’s face. The boy started coughing as he struggled to process this new information.

“WHAT?!”

“You’re-“

“I-I know what you said! But- I mean, you-…”, the poor boy struggled with his words and crumbled in his chair. The little raccoon patted his master’s cheek worriedly.

Quirin took another deep breath, giving himself some time to think about the memory of when Varian first came to Corona.

“…Your mother found you on the side of the road near a town not far from our home Kingdom one late evening. She had been traveling with a friend of hers for quite a while and was finally coming home”

Varian looked up at his…dad with curiosity, despite feeling like having the ground cave under his feet.

“We had wanted a child for a while, but were never able to have one. It was just starting to rain when she heard you cry. You were simply…there, all wrapped up in blankets under a tree. Of course her heart melted as soon as she saw you all alone and decided to take you home”

Quirin chuckled.

“Of course when she brought you home, I immediately asked where she stole you from and said that we should return you, despite her saying over and over again that she found you abandoned. We compromised and went back to the spot you were left to confirm if anyone was out looking for you. When it was obvious no one was coming back, and your mother smiled smugly that she was right, we…decided to take you in as our own”

Varian simply stared, mouth agape. It felt like his world was being sent upside-down.

“…M-My real parents?”

“…We never found them. I’m sorry Son”

Varian further slumped in his chair with the realization fully hitting. Adopted.

His dad…wasn’t his dad?

“Varian”

Varian looked up and their eyes met.

“Even if we’re not related by blood, I will always see you as my son. I…I hope you will continue to see me as your father”

The teen’s eyes started to water and tears fell. He quickly got up and walked to his dad, giving him a tight hug. This was enough confirmation for Quirin and he happily hugged back with a reassured smile. His thoughts wandered to the rest of the secrets, but he pushed it away for now.

The adoption was enough for now, the streak…would have to wait.

* * *

Varian opened his eyes to an odd room. Circular, with various tables with beakers of various colours placed on them, and in the middle of it all stood a giant device-

Wait a second…

This was the Demanitus Chamber that Rapunzel had shown him recently!

“Welcome back”, he heard a familiar voice speak. Turning around, he saw his “friend”, though something was off. She was only a blackened silhouette with purples eyes and a white smile.

“Amelia? What’s wrong with you?”

She let out an amused sigh and chuckle while he lifted an eyebrow.

“Oh? Why, look at yourself”, the silhouette pointed to a simple mirror, which had a few red and purple gems on its shallow wooden frame. The alchemist let out a shocked gasp.

Another black silhouette not unlike Amelia’s, with magenta eyes and a lone stripe in his hair, stared back. He quickly looked down at his hands and, surely enough, the mirror did not lie.

“…What?”

“What’s the matter Varian? The mirror simply shows who you are”

“I know how mirrors work Amelia, but this isn’t me!”

“…Isn’t it?”, she smiled at him.

“It’s not! I-“

But she wasn’t listening anymore and walked towards the giant machine.

“This place brings back so many memories, doesn’t it?”, the girl suddenly switched subjects as she looks around the room longingly with a saddened smile.

“…I’ve never been here until Rapunzel showed me this place”

“You have silly”, she giggled, “Here Demanitus prepared weapons and inventions to fight Zhan Tiri. He had to leave when the demon found this place”

Varian merely looked at her with a skeptic look. He did believe the legendary inventor had existed, but the demon stories? Not so much-

_“ **I w i l l e l i m i n a t e y o u, H U M A N** ”_

He suddenly gripped his head and grunted; a headache pounding more and more by the second. W-Was was that sudden memory?! He doesn’t remember that!

The flashes kept coming relentlessly, hitting him with memory after memory of a life he doesn’t remember.

_Being released from somewhere_

_Vowing revenge on the beings that threatened his forest, his home_

_The sheer happiness he felt upon wrecking destruction on their ant-like villages_

_The-_

Varian gasps and shouted out with tears stinging his eyes.

“THAT’S NOT ME!”

“I do wonder about that”, she walked about as if everything was right in the world, “You do look quite similar to it”

Varian looked at Amelia and she pointed once again to the mirror. Following the direction, Varian saw what she meant.

Reflected in the mirror was a figure of pure darkness: twirling horns not unlike a ram’s, sharpened claws, and tendrils-like lower body. It smiled at him with glistening white fangs and eyes mixed of purples and reds.

Varian screamed in horror as everything went dark.

And he woke up with a gasp, eyes glowing a different colour before going back to blue.


	3. Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A demon and Home reborn.

“What do you say, Varian?”, she said with a malicious grin as she held out a hand to him, the other holding a blue stone engraved with the Brotherhood symbol. On her chest crackled the blue of the Moonstone.

The Mindtrap.

The teen looked behind with worried eyes. Three members of the warrior group, their eyes glowing icy blue and emotionless, were holding hostage the Princess, Eugene and Cassandra in their grasp. It hurt Varian’s heart to see his father so…hollow. Quirin was holding Eugene in a chokehold, ready to finish him off as soon as the order is given. He hadn’t even responded to his son’s voice or pleading.

What now? If he refused, his dad and the others would be servants forever. His friends would be…eliminated.

But if he accepted…Did he really want what was awaiting him? To go back in time? Would dad miss him? Would everyone else? He didn’t really have a choice in the matter, did he?

The alchemist slowly nodded in solemn acceptance and held out his hand. He noticed a magenta light from the corner of his eye and knew his stripe was glowing. That odd piece of himself that had never been explained.

“A wise decision, worthy of who you truly are”, Amelia grinned again and the mind-controlling stone fell to the ground. Cracks appeared over its surface and it stopped glowing.

Gasps resonated behind him and he heard shuffling. Varian tried to not look back, to not look at the people he would inevitably betray soon, but couldn’t help it when he heard the terrified voice of his father.

“…Varian?”

“D-Dad…”

Varian’s eyes and hairstripe were glowing that familiar warm colour he always saw in his dreams (and nightmares).

“Varian?”  
“Kid, what-“  
“Son, please…d-don’t”

A sickly-sweet voice resonated behind his back. The voice of his other half.

“Now, spirits never go back on their words, do they Varian?”

“S-Spirits? Varian, what does she mean?”, he saw Rapunzel take a step forward, unsure if she should proceed. How ironic, that he truly is the final enemy of the wondrous Sundrop.

He shed a few tears while looking at everyone in front of him. Friends, family, acquaintances and complete strangers. He let out a choked whisper:

“…I’m sorry”

The young girl suddenly grasped his hand and their bodies dissolved into lights, merging together under the screams of a defeated father. A body of pure darkness formed from the light, then slowly the lower body and the arms. The head formed last, with the demon’s horns finishing the process. It swiftly opened its eyes. One purple and one magenta. The monster smiled and stretched, its body cracking loudly like branches breaking from a tree. A deep rumbling laugh escaped its mouth.

“ **F i n a l l y. I t’ s g o o d t o b e b a c k** ”

* * *

Rapunzel’s eyes widened as they observed the demon that stood tall in front of them, higher than the houses around it.

Her friend.

_At your new beginning, the most powerful threat to Corona shall return_ , Vigor’s fortune had told her.

“…V-Varian…?”, she said. But the one in front of her simply smiled and looked back.

“ **O h, m y d e a r S u n d r o p. H o w n a i v e, b e f r i e n d i n g a p i e c e o f d a r k n e s s w i t h o u t s u s p i c i o n** ”, it laughed.

“Free him! Free him now, you monster!”, a desperate voice angrily shouted. Quirin’s eyes were red with heartbreak.

But the being before them only laughed. That hollow, oppressive laughter that sent shivers down her spine and it moved its face closer to them.

“ **F r e e h i m? T h e r e i s n o t h i n g t o f r e e, _F A T H E R_** ”

The tendrils from its lower body spread over the ground and roots of darkness slowly took over the area around. It laughed again; that evil and sadistic laugh.

“ **I a m Z h a n T i r i. Y o u r e n d i s n i g h, H U M A N S** ”

Rapunzel untied her braid with teary eyes, the blonde locks coming to life as the Opal on the demon’s chest crackled with power again in reaction. S-She had to take it down, no matter what lest they are all eliminated.

She had to take down her… _former_ friend.

* * *

Power spread throughout her entire body as Corona’s Princess held the combined power of the Sundrop and Moonstone in her hands. Before her, crumpled on the ground, was her Kingdom’s most hated enemy.

A monster.  
A demon.  
A spirit.

Zhan Tiri looked at her with pure _hatred_ in its eyes, its body slowly dissolving and breaking. She couldn’t help but shiver, before remembering who it truly was. As if her thoughts came to life, the darkness split back into halves and there he was.

Varian was slowly getting up on his knees. He was feeling woozy, his head cramped with thoughts that were his yet not. With memories from this life and another’s. He saw white light emanating from his body, why-

Oh.  
He was disappearing.

“Varian!”, he heard Qui-, his dad shouts out. He was pulled into a tight hug, offering no resistance. He could feel his father’s frantic heartbeat and sobs, no doubt because he knew, they both knew, what awaited him.

“…M’sorry…”, he weakly responded.

No response, but he felt his father’s hand stroking his hair. He also felt the need to reassure him.

“…It’s alright dad…I’m going back home”

“…W-Where is that S-Son?...”

“…The Great Tree.  
You can come visit…”

He suddenly sensed a great emptiness within him. Varian didn’t have to look back to know his other half had vanished and was waiting for him. Maybe this time, they wouldn’t be as angry and corrupt the Tree. Sorrowful silence reigned for a few minutes before Varian’s voice was heard again. It was time and he returned the hug best he could before speaking in a shaky voice.

“…Bye…Dad…”, the young alchemist said as he finally parted with the human world and disappeared in sparkles of white light, heading towards the way to the Dark Kingdom.

* * *

It was half a year later when they traveled towards the Dark Kingdom, guided by the Brotherhood.

The caravan stopped and its inhabitants gasped, with smiles, at the sight before them. In the horizon stood a giant tree, blossoming with beautiful flowers in the colours of the former demon’s eyes.

The Great Tree had been reborn.

“Huh, this place is looking healthier than ever”, Hector commented while putting a hand on Quirin’s shoulder. The man nodded with a glint of pride in his eyes.

As they approached closer, and took in the sheer beauty of the reborn tree, Quirin couldn’t help but finally feel at…peace, somehow. Even Ruddiger, on his shoulders, chittered happily as it climbed the numerous branches and picked one of the fruits. It vaguely resembled an apple; it tasted just as sweet too. The group ventured deeper inside, looking at the broken reminders of the demonic being once known as Zhan Tiri.

“You know, this place is way nicer than the last time. Less wants-to-kill-you as well!”, Eugene perked up as they traveled upwards. It earned a few chuckles.

But Quirin was focused on one thing alone, and his brethren could tell as well.

Ruddiger’s ears suddenly perked up and he ran at full speed towards an entrance. Wasting no time, the knight ran after the chubby raccoon and entered what seemed to be a circular room, with a pool of water in the middle.

He looked around, rather impressed by the looks of it, until his eyes snapped towards the sound of humming. It was a familiar tune, a lullaby that he remembers singing quite often. Quirin couldn’t help but shed a few tears. Sitting on the ground, surrounded by a soft pelt of grass donned by velvety flowers, was his son. He was reading what appeared to be a copy of a Flynn Rider book and looked the same save for his eyes and the stripe now reflecting his true colour.

The raccoon made a dash and collided into Varian’s side who smiled happily.

“Wha- Ruddiger! What are you doing-“, the spirit stopped as his eyes traveled upwards and saw his dad.

“I know it isn’t bedtime for you, but would you like me to read the story to you Varian?”, Quirin asked.

The boy merely gave a big buck-toothed smile and quickly nodded. He placed a hand on the ground next to him, summoning more grass and flowers.

The small family sat down once more and happily relived the memories of reading the book series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ramblings for this AU are done now! Not as satisfied as I want but this was a fun ride and I hope you all enjoyed!


End file.
